


Full House

by pterawaters



Series: 31 Day H50 Challenge 2016 [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Building a family, Domestic, Family Feels, Freddie Survives North Korea, Living Together, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-05-24 13:05:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6154678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pterawaters/pseuds/pterawaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Freddie Hart finds himself divorced, and in sole custody of his four-year-old daughter Lucy, he doesn't know what to do, aside call his best friend for some advice. Fresh off the realization that Catherine's never coming back, Steve can't think of a better way to fill his life than to invite Freddie and Lucy to share his empty home. Before long, the house is bustling with people, including Danny and his kids. When one last addition joins the family, will the McGarrett house become too full, or will everyone find a way to fit together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Divorce

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of my 31 day H50 Challenge, which will run throughout March. Each part of this story will likely be short (500-1000 words or so), and will be posted as chapters of this work. Other parts of the Challenge, which will include different stories and different ships, will be posted as entries in this series. This story has been beta read by [clindzy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/clindzy/pseuds/clindzy). Thanks for your help!

Steve's not doing much, just sort of staring out at the ocean, when his phone rings. As soon as he sees the name on the caller ID, Steve grins and picks up. "Hey, if it's not the Big Daddy himself! What's going on, man?"

"Hey, Steve," Freddie says with a sigh, making Steve's heart sink. 

"Uh-oh. Another fight?" Steve sits up, setting aside his beer so he can better listen to Freddie's story. 

"The last fight, man," Freddie says. "Kelly left."

"Shit. I'm sorry, bud," Steve replies. "Any chance this is one of those things that will blow over in the morning?"

"Nah. She took a job in Tanzania. Can you believe that? Africa!" Freddie's voice sounds wrung out and beaten down, and Steve's heart breaks for his friend. 

"She taking Lucy with her? Because I'm pretty sure you can fight–"

"Nah, nah," Freddie insists, and Steve can see Freddie in his mind's eye, waving away the concern. "She left Lucy with me."

"That's good, right?" Steve scratches at the wood of his chair. "She's not taking your daughter away from you."

"She is taking my daughter's mother away from her, though," Freddie growls. "I mean god damn, Steve! What am I going to do? I don't know how to raise a little girl!"

"Sure you do," Steve assures him. "What have you been doing the past four years?"

"Working mostly," Freddie says with a sigh. "I mean, this analysis job is nice, gets me home nights and weekends, but all before that? You know what deployment is like."

Freddie sighs again. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing, Steve. I can't– I'm gonna mess this up, I know it."

Steve's not quite sure what makes him say it, but once he does, he doesn't regret it. "Come live with me, man. There's plenty of room here, and I could help. I want to help."

Freddie scoffs. "What do you know about raising kids?"

"I help out with my partner's kid, Grace, all the time. Been training her for presidential fitness and everything." Steve smiles at the thought of Gracie getting her time down the last time they ran together. 

"Are you sure?" Freddie groans. "It would be a lot easier to afford daycare if I was splitting the rent. Without Kelly, I was going to have to sell the house anyway."

"Okay, so come live with me." Steve hopes his voice leaves no room for argument. 

It must, because Freddie says, "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Let's do it, roomie."

Steve laughs and starts making plans in his head. The house has been so silent since Catherine left. He can't wait to have life around him again, to have Freddie, one of his best friends in the world, around him again. This is going to be great.


	2. The Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie needs to have a talk with Steve.

Freddie leaves Lucy's room, closing the door quietly so she doesn't wake up. She doesn't always take naps anymore, but after the morning they spent down at the beach, Freddie isn't surprised she needs to sleep for a few hours. He's glad she's asleep, because Freddie has something to discuss with Steve, and he doesn't want Steve trying to use Lucy as a distraction.

He finds Steve in the kitchen, up to his elbows in the dishes, which is perfect. It's hard to get away from a conversation when you're covered in suds. 

"Hey, buddy," Freddie says, leaning against the counter and picking up a towel so he can start drying. "Thanks for this morning. Lucy really enjoyed herself."

"I'm glad," Steve says, with one of his brightest smiles. "I really want her to have fun, and feel at home, you know?"

Freddie smiles. "I know." Steve really is the most selfless guy he knows. The most secretive guy he knows, too, which is something Freddie's going to have to break Steve of. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

Warily, Steve gives Freddie a side-eyed look and asks, "About what?"

Setting a plate in the cupboard, Freddie crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the counter. "Oh, maybe about the fact that you and Danny are sleeping together?"

Steve splutters and fumbles the bowl he'd been washing, dropping it back into the water. "What? Why would you say that? I'm not-"

"Oh, come off it, bro," Freddie replies, laughing at the look on Steve's face. "I saw you two making out in the car last night when he 'dropped you off after work'." Freddie makes quotation marks with his fingers. "I'm your best friend, dude. Why didn't you tell me?"

Steve sighs, and wavers for a moment, staring down at the sink. Eventually, he shrugs and says, "We're Navy boys, Fred. I wasn't sure if you'd…"

"What?" Freddie asks, frowning. "Be a homophobic asshole? Steve, I thought you knew me better than that."

"No, it's not…" Steve sighs again, in frustration. "This thing with Danny is kind of new. I didn't want to … to _risk_ that you'd move out and take Lucy if it wasn't going to last."

Shaking his head, Freddie can't help but laugh. "Steve, you're a moron."

"So Danny tells me, at least twice a day."

"Then he's the smart one of the relationship," Freddie insists. He turns Steve toward him, gives Steve a big hug, and then says, "I think it's great that you and Danny are together. Honestly, I've been waiting for it to happen since you met him."

Looking a little flummoxed, Steve asks, "Really? Et tu, Hartus?" Freddie laughs. "Yeah. Come on, man. I know you. I've known you since Annapolis, which apparently I remember better than you do." He winks at Steve.

Steve looks more confused than ever, and Freddie has to hold his breath so he doesn't burst out laughing. "What? Fred, what are you talking about?"

"You were pretty drunk that night. I guess I'm not too surprised you don't remember." Freddie smiles, wondering how long he can draw this out.

"Remember what?" Steve cries, and he's got that look in his eye that tells Freddie he better start talking, or he's going to regret it.

"The night Siegel dared me to blow you, so I did," Freddie explains. "You seriously don't remember?"

Steve's jaw drops, and he stands there gaping.

"I won a hundred bucks off him. I mean, what's a little blow job between friends, am I right?" Freddie asks, watching Steve turn over this new information in his brain. "Especially for a hundred bucks. We split it 20-80, because I figured you got the better end of that deal."

Steve punches Freddie in the arm, but he's smiling and shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

"And you're," Freddie says, throwing an arm around the back of Steve's neck and squeezing Steve close, "going to invite Danny over for family dinner. With your old man gone, someone's gotta give Danno _The Speech_."

"Fine, you can give my boyfriend _The Speech_ ," Steve replies. "Now pick up that towel and start helping. These dishes aren't going to put themselves away."

"Sir, yes sir, Commander," Freddie says, snapping to attention with a mock-salute. "I'm on the mission!"

Steve scoffs and rolls his eyes, but he's smiling. Freddie can't help but feel happy for him.


	3. Moving Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny moves in, and Freddie wonders if he's really as welcome to stay as Steve insists.

"Danny sure has a lot of boxes," Freddie says, giving Steve a look.

Steve's not quite sure what to do with that look. He follows Freddie away from the moving truck, stopping him with a hand on Freddie's arm. "Hey, hey. What was that about? You said you were okay with Danny moving in."

"I _am_ , Steve. I am," Freddie insists, shifting the box in his arms. He looks around Steve, like he's trying to make sure no one is coming to overhear him. In a low voice, he says, "Danny's your _boyfriend_. He should definitely live here with you. I'm just wondering if maybe it's time for me and Lucy to move on. You know, make some room for Danny's stuff, for his kids."

Steve's heart drops at the thought of not seeing Freddie and little Lucy everyday. When Steve was all alone, they brought life back into this house. It wouldn't be the same without them.

"No, Fred. No," Steve says, taking the box out of Freddie's hands and setting it down on the lawn. "I want you to stay! It's such a big house, there's plenty of room. I swear."

Freddie sighs and looks up at the sky. "I could start looking, anyway. Find a place close by."

"Don't you dare," Steve says, pointing a finger at Freddie. "I swear to god, Hart, I will tackle you if you so much as try it."

"What is he trying?" Danny asks from over Steve's shoulder. "Is this about getting rid of that ratty office chair? Because if it is, I'm on Fred's side."

Steve gasps in Danny's direction. "My dad's office chair?"

"Steve, practically everything in this house used to be your dad's," Danny replies, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're going to have to start letting some of it go."

Steve frowns at Danny for a long moment, even though he's sure Danny's right. Still, that's an argument for another day. Changing the topic, Steve tells Danny, "Freddie's making noise about moving out."

"Oh, Jeez," Danny says, letting his arms drop before using them to gesture in Freddie's direction. "Please tell me you're joking. The minute – the _minute_ – I brought up moving in together, I got a twenty minute lecture from this guy," he waves a hand in Steve's general direction, "about how I was to never ask him to kick you out. Like I would ever do something like that." Danny gives Steve a look.

Steve breaks eye contact with Danny to check on Freddie, and finds that Freddie is staring at him. "What?" Steve asks.

"A twenty minute lecture?" Freddie asks, the edges of his mouth curling up. "Really?"

Steve frowns, first at Freddie, then at Danny. " _Five_ minutes. Tops."

Freddie breaks into a wide, infectious grin. "Really? A whole speech?" Freddie wipes away an imaginary tear and throws his arm around Steve's neck. "You like me! You really like me!"

"I'll like you more if you keep helping with the boxes," Steve says, pushing Freddie's arm away. He picks up the box he set down a minute ago and pushes it into Freddie's arms. "Thanks, buddy."

"Hey," Freddie says, his face suddenly serious. "More roommates means less rent for each of us, right?" He grins to show that he's joking.

Steve pushes Freddie toward the house. "Yeah, yeah. Sure!"

To be honest, Steve would let Freddie stay without paying any rent, but he knows collecting it has more to do with preserving Freddie's pride. If Danny moving in can be an excuse for Steve to lower Freddie's rent without hurting his ego, Steve's going to do it.

At dinner that night, Danny asks Lucy, "Are you sure you're okay sometimes sharing your room with Charlie? We could put his bed in Grace's room, instead."

Lucy shakes her head. "I like Charlie," she says. "Charlie is my friend, and his favorite color is red, and my favorite color is red."

Steve puts a hand over his mouth so he doesn't laugh at the way Danny just sort of blinks, and then nods his head. "Well, okay then. I suppose there's worse things to bond over."

Freddie laughs and leans over to put his arm around Lucy's shoulders, giving her a sideways hug. "I'm glad you want to share your room, Lucy-bug. That's very nice of you."

"Grace is coming over too, right?" Lucy asks, picking up a noodle from her plate with her fingers, rather than her fork. "She could sleep in my room, too."

"Thanks, Luce," Steve says, reaching over the table to bop her on the nose and make her giggle, "but we're making the den Grace's room. She's a teenager and teenagers tend to like having their own space."

Lucy makes a face and takes another noodle from her plate. "That's weird."

Steve laughs, smiling at the way Freddie hugs Lucy, and at how Danny bumps his shoulder into Steve's arm, looking happier than Steve has seen him in a while. Yeah, this is going to work out great. Steve's sure of it.


	4. Of Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie's a little confused about how to address the grown ups in his house.

"Danno, look," Charlie says, meeting Danny and Steve at the door. "I'm a dinosaur!" He curls his hands into claws and snarls, roaring.

Danny's tired from the day he and Steve just had at work, but Charlie's enthusiasm is nothing if not infectious. "Alright, buddy! Great dinosaur."

Lucy comes tearing up from inside the house, crying, "Danno! Uncle Steve! I'm a pterrodacyl!" She flaps her arms and makes an unholy cawing noise as she runs away from them. 

Danny just shakes his head and keeps moving into the house. Steve heads up the stairs to shower off the saltwater he ended up diving into at the end of the chase. Danny finds Freddie in the kitchen, stirring a large pot of what looks like box macaroni and cheese. Danny's stomach rumbles despite his taste buds. He claps Freddie on the shoulder. "Hey, thanks for picking Charlie up from school."

"No problem, bud," Freddie says with a smile. He points to a bowl sitting on the kitchen island, so Danny hands it to him before watching as Freddie pours the hot macaroni into the bowl. 

Calling out loudly, Freddie says, "Luce! Charlie! Dinner time!" Toward Danny, he asks, "Steve still working?"

Pointing upstairs, Danny says, "Shower. And not that I don't appreciate the feeding of myself and my son, but are we having a vegetable to go with our cheese and noodles?"

"What's a vegetable?" Freddie asks with a grin. He nods his head at another bowl on the far counter, which Danny sees is filled with something green. "I'm getting pretty good at this Dad thing, huh?"

"Not too shabby," Danny says, grabbing the vegetable bowl – he sees it's full of previously canned green beans – and follows Freddie to the dining room.

With the extra leaf in the table, there's enough room for the six of them who regularly eat here. Grace is at a friend's house, so tonight they're only going to be the five. Everyone's got a designated spot, and Danny thinks they're kind of a weird family, but it works. 

Lucy and Charlie claim their spots (right next to each other, of course), and excitedly tell Freddie and Danny about their dinosaurs game. "And then," Lucy says, her eyes dramatically wide, "I fell into a volcamo!"

"Wow!" Freddie replies, putting a scoop of macaroni on Lucy's plate. "That sounds exciting! Does the terrible pterodactyl need more macaroni, or is that enough?"

"More, please, Daddy!" Lucy replies, picking up her plate and holding it out toward Freddie. 

Charlie copies Lucy, picking up his plate and holding it out toward Freddie. "I want some too, Daddy," he says, and it's clear he's addressing Freddie, not Danny.

Freddie freezes, his wide eyes meeting Danny's. Danny contemplates being jealous for a moment. After all, he's only had almost a year to get used to the idea that Charlie is _his_ kid. Now he's calling someone else "Daddy"?

But Danny realizes it's not Charlie's fault. Charlie idolizes Lucy. She just a little more than a year older than him, and he wants to do everything she does. Of course he would copy her and call Freddie by the same name Lucy does. He did the same thing with Grace and "Danno". 

That's not to mention the fact that due to their recent work schedules, Freddie has been doing a lot more of the parenting at the house than Danny has been. He'd feel a little bad for keeping Charlie out of his mother's house when he's not even there to spend time with his kid, but honestly, Danny thinks the time Charlie spends here, playing with Lucy and being cared for by people with real emotions, is good for him. Charlie must feel loved and at ease if he's calling Freddie "Daddy". Who is Danny to tell Charlie he's wrong?

Danny waves away Freddie's concerned look. "It's fine," Danny tells him, smiling to reinforce the sentiment. "Really."

Steve comes into the room then, sitting down in his chair between Danny and Freddie. "What's fine?" he asks, pouring himself a glass of milk from the jug on the table. His hair is still wet, a droplet running down the back of his neck and hitting his shirt collar.

Freddie finishes scooping macaroni onto Charlie's plate, so Charlie says, "Thanks, Daddy!"

"That," Danny says to Steve, passing him the green beans. "That's fine. I promise."

Steve shrugs and takes a few huge scoops of beans. "If you say so, Danno."

"Yeah," Freddie says, a careful smile in Danny's direction. "If you say so."

"I'll explain it to him later," Danny insists, even though he's dreading that conversation so much he might just put it off indefinitely. "It's fine."

The weird thing is, it really is fine. 


	5. The Knock on the Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's ohana grows in a very unexpected way.

Steve is helping Lucy glue craft sticks together (in no discernible pattern that he can make out), when the doorbell rings. Steve has his hands full, so he doesn't make it to the door before Grace. She takes one look out the now-open door before asking in a very wobbly voice, "Uncle Steve?"

The uncertainty in her posture has Steve dropping Lucy's project and getting to his feet, unsnapping the safety strap on his gun holster as he stands. "What is it, Grace?"

Grace steps aside, gesturing to the figure standing in the doorway. It's Catherine. Her hair and clothes are damp from the downpour of rain, and she has a baby in her arms. "Hey, Steve," she says almost breathlessly, smiling at him for half a second before looking over her shoulder. "Can I come in?"

Steve finds himself nodding before he's even processed what's going on. "Catherine, why…" Steve tries to ask, gesturing toward the baby. "What?"

Catherine steps into the house and closes the door behind her. Without answering Steve's questions, she says, "Hi, Grace. Hi, Lucy!"

Lucy drops the crumbling remains of her art project and scurries to hide behind Steve's legs. Danny comes into the room from the kitchen, Charlie on his hip. 

"Catherine," Danny practically growls, hitching Charlie higher onto his hip. 

In a whisper, Charlie asks Danny, "Who's that?"

"Hey, Danny," Catherine says, barely paying him any attention, which Steve can see makes Danny bristle. She asks Steve, "Is there somewhere we can talk? I don't have much time."

"Uh, out back," Steve says, taking Lucy's hand from where it's clutched at his pants and handing it to Grace. Grace drops down far enough to throw her arm around Lucy, her wide eyes making it clear that Grace has come to a similar conclusion as Steve has. Catherine is here about the baby.

As Steve ushers Catherine (and the baby) out to the lanai, barely registering the fact that Danny follows them. He's no longer holding Charlie, who he must've passed off to Grace as well. 

When Catherine notices Danny, she says, "I really think this is a conversation Steve and I ought to have in private."

Before Danny can respond, Steve insists, "Danny stays. Whatever this is about…" Steve pauses to make it clear he knows this is about the baby. "...I want Danny here, too."

Catherine looks like she's going to argue for about a second, before she decides against it. Nodding toward the baby, Catherine says, "This is Lynn."

"After your mother," Steve guesses, at which Catherine nods. "How old is she?"

"Fifteen months," Catherine says with a sad smile.

Steve does the math in his head, and comes to the suspicion he's had since he saw Catherine in the doorway. "She's mine."

Catherine nods. "Yeah."

Danny scoffs loudly, turning away from them and taking a few steps away, like he needs a moment to deal with his feelings about this. Steve can relate.

He reaches out for the baby, taking her in his arms when Catherine allows it. "Hey, Lynn." Lynn looks at Steve almost suspiciously until he makes a silly face at her. She smiles and Steve's almost overcome with emotion. He recognizes that smile. "She looks kind of like Mary," Steve says with a sad laugh. 

"She looks a lot like you," Catherine insists, her eyes shiny. 

Breaking into the moment, Danny asks, "Why now? Why didn't you tell Steve two years ago, when you found out?" Danny gives Steve a look, and Steve can tell he's thinking about Rachel and Charlie.

"It was too dangerous," Catherine says, and Steve can tell that's a lie. At least, it's not the full truth.

Steve puts Lynn on his hip (she's so much smaller than Charlie), and asks, "But why now? What's going on, Catherine?"

"I've been…" Catherine sighs, wringing her hands together. "I've been working again. Intelligence. There's…" She takes a moment, during which Danny reaches for Lynn, giving her his finger to hold onto. Catherine watches the interaction and it looks like her heart is breaking. "It's too dangerous for me to keep her."

"You want us to take her," Danny says, his voice resigned.

"Steve," Catherine says toward Danny. "I want Steve to take her."

Steve decides to brush past Catherine's refusal to see that Steve and Danny are together. "What kind of danger are you in?"

"The kind that has warlords putting a bounty on my head," Catherine says. "They've been tracking my movements, and they were going to find out about Lynn. I couldn't let them. I had to get her out, which means separating myself from her."

Steve looks at Catherine and suddenly he sees Doris in her place. "It only does if you mean to keep doing the work. You could go underground in the Midwest somewhere, and you'd be safe." Steve looks at the little girl in his arms and brushes her hair back away from her eyes. "But you're not going to do that. You're going to go back."

Catherine's eyes shine, but the tears don't fall. "Yeah. I have to. We'd lose too much time sending in anyone else."

Steve can tell it would prove impossible to change Catherine's mind. She didn't come back to Hawaii for Steve. She's not going to settle down for their daughter, either. "I'll take her," Steve tells Catherine. "She'll have a home here. A family."

"Thank you," Catherine replies, setting down her things on the lanai table and pulling out a folder. "This is her birth certificate, listing you as the father, and all the custody paperwork. She's yours."

"You assumed I'd say yes," Steve says, watching Danny snatch the paperwork and shuffle through it.

Just then, Freddie comes out of the house, sweaty and slightly out of breath from his jog. "What's going on? Catherine? Hey, what are you–"

"We've got another kid," Danny says to Freddie, folder still in his hands as he crosses his arms over his chest. 

"Freddie, hi," Catherine says, gathering up one of the bags she brought with her. Steve guesses that the other contains some of Lynn's things. Turning to Steve, Catherine says, "I really have to go. If you need to get through to me, call this number." She hands Steve a card with the CIA logo and what has to be her handler's name.

Steve holds Lynn out toward Catherine. "Do you want to…"

"No," Catherine says, wiping a tear from her eye. She quickly presses a kiss to Lynn's chubby cheek. "Bye."

Catherine leaves almost at a run, and Steve can't help but see Doris again. In that moment he _hates_ Catherine for doing this to Lynn.

Lynn watches Catherine disappear, and then looks up at Steve and asks, "Mama?"

"Mama had to go, sweetheart," Steve says, holding Lynn close as her lip begins to wobble. Okay, he has to distract her, and fast. "Hey, do you want to meet some bigger kids?"

Lynn doesn't respond, but Steve brings her into the house anyway. Behind him, Steve hears Freddie ask Danny, "Did we really get another kid in the time it took me to go for a jog?"

"Yup," Danny says, and both of them follow Steve into the house. "I hope you like changing diapers."

Freddie says, "It's not so bad when they're cute."

Steve takes a look at Lynn, who's wide-eyed with the new surroundings, and thinks he'd love her even if she was the ugliest baby ever. She's not, because she's his kid and good looks run in the family, but he would, and that's what counts.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny has a major realization.

"Okay, Luce. Go run in the house and use the potty," Danny says, urging Lucy toward the house before looking back at Steve. Steve's rooting through the trunk of the Camaro, grabbing all the shopping bags from their lunch-break spree at the baby store. Danny takes one of the bags from Steve and says, "We're going to end up returning half this stuff, babe. She's practically a toddler."

"We'll see about that," Steve says, completely seriously, like Danny has challenged him to a dare or something.

Amused, Danny just chuckles and shakes his head. "How do you think Fred and Lynn are getting along today? I still can't believe he volunteered to stay with her while she's sick."

"I'm sure they're fine," Steve says, closing the trunk of the Camaro and frowning at it. "Do you think we need a bigger car?"

Walking toward the house, Danny points a finger at Steve, "You are not talking me into getting rid of my car. That car is one of my few joys on this island. If anyone's car should go it's your useless pickup truck."

"I can't do car chases in a minivan, Daniel," Steve says, following Danny into the house.

"You can't do car chases in your truck either, Steven," Danny says sweetly, waiting for Steve to pass before he closes the front door. "That's why you always drive my car."

"I don't–" Steve says, but something makes him stop short. Danny looks around Steve to see Freddie in the office, which has been converted to a makeshift bedroom for Lynn. 

Freddie and Lynn are sitting on the pink throw rug Grace had insisted they buy. Freddie's singing softly and moving his hands along with the song, Lynn trying her best with pudgy baby hands to mimic him. Freddie has this intense look of joyful concentration that completely melts Danny's heart. 

Danny looks over at Steve to ask him with a glance if he's seeing this, and it turns out Danny doesn't even have to ask. Steve's standing there with this completely besotted look on his face. 

Danny wonders if that's what he looked like the first time he watched Steve teach Grace the names of all the different fish in Hanauma Bay. 

Danny feels like the dumbest man alive. 

Freddie isn't just a friend, or a roommate. He's been co-parenting Danny's kids for nearly a year. When Lynn had to stay home from daycare this morning because of a cold, Danny didn't think twice of letting Freddie volunteer to be the one who stayed home. Steve and Danny picked Lucy up from after school care. 

All of them together are a family.

Why didn't Danny see it before?

He'd known it in a way he never really mulled over in his head, but this was the first time he'd explicitly thought it. Freddie was the third person in this relationship. 

Before Danny gets too far down that train of thought, Lucy rushes past Steve and Danny, from the bathroom and toward her father. "Daddy, Daddy!"

"What's going on, Luce?" Freddie asks with a big smile that makes Danny's chest clench. "How was school?"

Danny turns toward Steve, who meets Danny's eyes with this sad sort of longing on his face. Danny pats Steve's shoulder in encouragement as he passes to go start dinner.

~*~

It's late when Steve finally comes into the bedroom after getting Lynn to sleep. He shuffles in a little bleary-eyed and Danny thinks about postponing this talk for later. Then he thinks if he doesn't do it now, it might take him too long to work up the courage again.

"Close the door, would you?" Danny asks in a low voice.

Steve blinks slowly, then says, "I'm kind of covered in baby snot, but if you really wanted to have sex tonight, I could sponge off or something."

Chuckling, Danny shakes his head. "No, I want to talk to you about something."

Steve grabs the bedroom door and starts closing it. Then he stops and says, "You know what? I think I forgot to–"

"Just close the door and sit down, McGarrett," Danny says. He's probably too tired and short-tempered to have this conversation, but again, procrastination is not his friend here.

Steve looks like he might try to make a break for it, but another look from Danny has him sighing and closing the door. He sits at the foot of the bed and says, "Okay."

"Okay," Danny repeats, trying to figure out how to start this conversation. Eventually, he just has to say the thing that's on his mind. "I think we're in a relationship with Freddie."

"Wait, what?" Steve asks with a nervous laugh. "No, he's…" Steve trails off, like he can't figure out how to make sense of what Danny has said.

"Look." Danny reaches forward and takes Steve's hand. "As far as I can tell, the only difference between our relationship with each other, and our relationships with him is that you and I sleep together."

Shaking his head, Freddie says, "But he isn't even…"

"When was the last time Freddie went on a date?" Danny asks.

"He's still getting over Kelly," Steve replies, but his voice is desperate, like he's starting to realize Danny may have a point.

"Look, I know it can take awhile to get over an ex." Danny tries not to think too hard about the six months he spent breaking down all over his brother after Rachel left. "But it's been almost two years, Steve. You know if it wasn't for us, Freddie would be dating again."

Steve sighs and appears to ponder this for a few long moments. "He's straight."

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" Danny asks, and it's interesting the way Steve goes red and chokes.

After Steve has his breathing back under control, Steve asks, "So, what do you want to do about it?"

Danny thinks about cooking dinner next to Freddie, and watching games with Freddie, and coaching Charlie and Lucy's t-ball team with Freddie, and…

Jesus Christ, how did it take Danny until today to realize what was going on?

"It's been working for us so far," Danny answers Steve. "I think we should see where it goes."

Steve takes a sharp breath. "Like…?" He makes a vague gesture, but Danny can guess what he's getting at.

Danny nods. "If he wants to." Watching Steve nervously rub at one hand with the other, Danny adds, "And if you want to, babe."

"I think…" Steve sighs and gives Danny half a smile. "I think I really kind of do."

"Okay," Danny says. "Okay. We're gonna do this."

Steve chuckles and leans up the bed until he's close enough to kiss Danny. Danny kisses back, almost giddy. He's never been in a relationship like this before. Maybe it'll blow up in all their faces. 

Then again, maybe it'll be really, really good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve tries to use his words.

Steve and Danny had mutually agreed that since Steve had known Freddie for longer, he should be the one to broach the relationship topic with Freddie. Steve's fairly certain the decision was more mutual on Danny's part than Steve's, but Steve figures Danny is right.

So, Danny stays home with the kids one Sunday morning while Steve and Freddie go out for a jog. Running with Freddie by his side always reminds Steve of SEAL training, and as tough as that year was, the memories make Steve smile.

"What are you...grinning about?" Freddie asks, breathing hard, and slowing down a little.

Well, there's no better time than the present, so Steve slows down to a walk, putting his hands on his hips and catching his breath. God, he feels old. Certainly he's in better shape than Danny, but he's relaxed a little since his SEAL days.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Steve asks, leading Freddie to the low stone wall beside the sidewalk and sitting down on it. He stretches out his calves and hamstrings while Freddie joins him.

"What do you want to talk about?" Freddie asks, dropping into a lunge instead of sitting down. He looks ridiculous, but Steve can't help but be fond of that ridiculousness. 

"So," Steve says, shaking his head and clearing his throat. "There's this thing going on. With me and Danny."

Freddie raises a suspicious eyebrow. "What sort of thing? You guys can't break up!"

"No one's breaking up," Steve says, holding out his hand toward Freddie and switching legs to stretch out. "It's just … Have you ever been in a relationship, but then you start to have feelings for someone else, too?"

Suddenly standing up out of his lunge, Freddie asks, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Steve sits there stunned. This is not the reaction he was expecting.

"You can not, can _not_ cheat on Danny!" Freddie cries, stepping forward and slapping the side of Steve's face. "Are you _insane_? That man is helping you raise your daughter!"

"God!" Steve cries, blocking Freddie when he tries to go in for another slap. "No one's cheating on anyone! Calm down!"

Freddie huffs and puts his hands on his hips, but he doesn't try to hit Steve again, so that's a plus. "Then what are you talking about? You're having feelings for someone else? That sounds an awful lot like you're thinking about cheating."

"Fred," Steve says, giving his friend a look. "You've known me for fifteen years. Do you really think I would cheat on Danny?"

"Well, no," Freddie replies, his voice losing some of its anger. "So what the hell are you talking about?"

Steve wants to tell Freddie what's going on. He really does. He looks into Freddie's face, and sees judgment more than acceptance. What if Steve's wrong about how receptive Freddie would be toward this sort of relationship. He seems very stuck on the idea that Steve and Danny are _it_. Together forever or something.

No, Steve needs a new tactic. He needs to come at this from a more obtuse angle.

"Okay, look," Steve says, holding out his hands, trying to get Freddie to calm down. "I have this friend, okay? And he's married. And–"

"Is it Lou?" Freddie guesses, crossing his arms over his chest.

Steve cries, "No! It's not Lou!" He sighs and rolls his neck, trying to get his voice back under control. "It's no one you know."

Steve waits until Freddie nods before he continues.

"So this friend, and his wife, they've been spending a lot of time with this other person. And they both have feelings for this other person." Steve pauses, watching Freddie's face to make sure he understands the situation. "My friend came to me, asking me what he should do, and I…" Steve chuckles nervously. "I'm not quite sure what to tell him, man. I thought maybe since you've been married you might have a better idea."

Scrunching up the right side of his face, Freddie's silent for a moment as he thinks. Eventually, he says, "I think they gotta start spending less time with the other person. It's not good for their relationship, you know?"

Steve's heart falls. Spend _less_ time with Freddie? Steve would never want to do that. Freddie is _ohana_ , as is Lucy. They're part of the family and Steve never wants them to go.

If keeping his family together is really what he wants, Steve thinks maybe he and Danny might have to let go of the dream of changing their relationship with Freddie. 

"Yeah," Steve says, standing and patting Freddie on the shoulder. "Yeah, okay. That's what I'll tell my friend."

"Good," Freddie says, looking at his watch. "Now, how about that last mile?"

~*~

Later, in their bedroom, Steve lies with his lips against Danny's shoulder and his arm flung over Danny's chest. "He really didn't seem to get what I was going after. Even in hypotheticals, he seemed to think the couple relationship was the be-all-end-all."

"Too many romance movies," Danny says with a half-hearted scoff. 

Steve smiles against Danny's skin. "He thought I wanted to cheat on you."

"Pfft," Danny says, kissing the top of Steve's head. "I know you'd never cheat on me. 

Settling into Danny's embrace, Steve says, "I think we're going to have to come at this from a different angle."

"Ah," Danny says. "Then I'm taking attempt number two, and we're going to do this the right way around this time."

Steve laughs at Danny's hubris, but he doesn't argue. Maybe with Danny in charge, this will actually work. Stranger things have happened, after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confession of feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay in finishing this story up. The last month has been kicking my butt!

"I'm telling you guys, this is the best place on the island," Danny says, pulling into the parking garage below the restaurant. "You're going to love it."

"Are you sure Grace is okay alone?" Freddie asks. "Three kids is a lot for one babysitter."

"Relax," Steve says, leaning forward from where he's sitting in the back. "Chin is on standby, and Grace knows to call him at the slightest problem."

Freddie chuckles and shakes his head. "I can't believe you guys, taking me out to dinner like this. It's been too long. I can't remember the last time I went _out_ , instead of just having beers on the lanai."

"You've been so fantastic about Lynn," Danny says, pulling into a spot and parking. "We had to give you a proper thank you."

"Still," Freddie says, getting out and pulling his seat forward so Steve can get out. "You guys are great."

"Did you hear that, Steven?" Danny asks, taking Steve's hand as they walk toward the elevator up toward the restaurant. "We're great."

"Hey, don't get too full of yourselves, now," Freddie warns them with a laugh. 

In the elevator, Freddie looks at Danny and Steve's joined hands and says, "I do feel kinda like a third wheel, here."

"Don't," Steve insists, reaching forward to squeeze Freddie's arm. "Tonight is about you, right, Danny?"

Danny smiles, saying, "Right," as the elevator doors open. 

Freddie's confused, because this isn't the restaurant, it's the hotel above the restaurant. Why are Danny and Steve getting out? "Guys? This is the wrong floor."

"No it's not," Steve says with a smirk on his face. Freddie can't say he likes that smirk anymore now than he did back when Steve was trying to convince Freddie to sign up for SEAL training.

"C'mon," Danny says, taking Freddie's wrist in his hand and tugging until Freddie follows.

Freddie stumbles on his own feet at least once as he follows Danny and Steve down the hallway and to one of the doors, which Danny opens with a keycard from his pocket. Beyond the door is a hotel room—no, a hotel _suite_ , since the bed is off the main room, behind a set of doors. 

"What is this?" Freddie asks, noticing how the table in the center of the main room is set for three, with each plate covered with a metal dome. "Why would you rent out a hotel room, just for dinner?"

"Let's just sit down," Danny says, motioning Freddie toward the chair he pulls away from the table. "We'll eat, and we'll talk."

Freddie eyes the bedroom again warily. He wonders if after this he's going to have to grab a cab home, and leave Steve and Danny to their night away. Doesn't seem like much of a thank you to him. "Yeah, okay," he says tensely, sitting in the chair Danny offers him.

Scooting his chair closer to the table, Freddie figures he might as well find out what they're having. He takes the lid off his plate, and is surprised to discover a steaming-hot steak, covered in mushrooms and onions, with a mass of cheese-covered potatoes on the side. "This is _exactly_ what I was going to order tonight," Freddie says, looking first at Steve, who's sitting on his right, and then Danny, who's sitting on his left. 

Steve chuckles and leans closer to Freddie, putting his hand over Freddie's arm. "It's the same thing you've ordered every time I've been out to a steakhouse with you. When we were in SEAL training, it's the meal you couldn't stop talking about to make it through all those bear crawls and swims."

With a laugh, Freddie shakes his head and sets the plate lid aside. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"You're important to me, Fred," Steve says sincerely. He holds Freddie's gaze for a long moment before he speaks again. "Of course I remembered."

Freddie feels like maybe the candles on the table are making the room warmer than it should be. He clears his throat and picks up his utensils, cutting into the steak and taking a bite. It's perfect. 

When Freddie looks up, he sees Danny and Steve staring at him. "Well? Aren't you guys going to eat?"

Danny gives Steve another look, and then says, "I'm just going to out and say it."

Fearing the worst, Freddie holds his breath, the bite of steak on his fork hovering halfway to his mouth.

"Steve and I," Danny says, his voice soft, like it gets when he's being really serious. Fuck. They're finally sick of Freddie. They've finally noticed that the house is too full now that Lynn is with them, and they're going to ask him to leave. "Both of us. We, well… We have feelings for you," Danny says, putting his upturned hand on the table between him and Freddie. "Romantic feelings."

"Romantic feelings?" Freddie repeats, the words making no sense as he rolls them around on his tongue. He sets down his fork. "Feelings…" Freddie goes back over Danny's speech, searching for more clues to help him understand what's going on. "Feelings for me?"

"Yeah, dumbass," Danny says, a fond tone in his voice. "Feelings for you. Both of us have them." He looks over to Steve, and Freddie follows his gaze. 

Steve gives Freddie a nervous smile. "What do you think?"

"I don't…" Freddie says picking up his fork. "I… Give me a minute."

Keeping his eyes down on his plate, Freddie takes one bite. And then another. How does he feel about Steve and Danny? Freddie knows he loves them and he'd do anything for either one of them. He chews slowly, still thinking. 

Does Freddie feel romantically toward either of them? He doesn't think he's felt romantic toward anyone since Kelly left. When she left, it gutted Freddie. He wasn't sure how the hell he would build a good life without her. Steve, and then Danny, have shown him how to build that life. 

Freddie takes a long swallow of his beer, keenly aware of how Steve and Danny are pretending to eat, and pretending not to stare at him. 

Taking another swallow before he sets down his beer, Freddie sighs. "I guess I'm not really sure." He holds up a hand before Steve can say something. "I know I have a great life right now, living with you. What happens after this, though? I don't have feelings, and I have to live in the house, knowing I've disappointed you? Or I do have feelings, and before long, everything falls apart? Like it always does? And we end up hating each other, and the kids never see each other anymore?" Freddie shakes his head. "Why couldn't you leave well enough alone?"

Steve lays a hand over Freddie's on the table, and says, "It was killing us, Freddie. Having you so close, and not knowing whether or not we could have more. Would you have wanted that for us?"

Freddie takes his hand away from under Steve's. "You two are perfect together. I can't be the one who messes that up."

"Hey, we're solid," Danny says, reaching out and putting a hand on Steve's shoulder. "And we've talked about this a lot. About what could happen, about how we'd feel about it. Steve and I are good." Danny smiles at Steve, who smiles back, putting his hand on Danny's. 

Then Steve turns back to Freddie and says, "Hey. If you're not sure about this, but you think maybe we could give it a shot, we could start slow. Try dating."

Freddie watches the way Steve and Danny smile at each other again, and it hits him that he _wants_ what they have. He wants love, and affection, and family. He wants it so bad he feels like he can't breathe through it. 

He thinks about dating them, and how weird it would be. What, really would change? Freddie would still see them every day, in the house. He'd still hand off Lynn to Steve in time to take a shower before driving Lucy to preschool. He'd still help Grace with her homework when Danny wasn't quite home yet. He'd still teach Charlie how to kick a soccer ball and how to braid his sister's hair. 

Freddie thinks the only thing that would change is maybe he could go up to bed with Steve and Danny, instead of going to his empty room, watching a movie until he fell asleep, alone. 

Freddie's not even sure he wants sex. He just wants to sleep next to someone again. 

And yeah, okay maybe sex would be good, too, but he's spent so much time _not_ thinking about what Steve and Danny do together in their room at night, that he's having a hard time turning those images back on. 

When Freddie does, when he thinks about Steve on his knees, Danny's cock disappearing into Steve's mouth, a chill runs down Freddie's back and his skin feels too tight. He thinks about that bet, about the time he gave Steve a blow job, just for a drunken laugh. He thinks about doing it again, about letting himself enjoy it, about whether he _could_ enjoy it. 

He's pretty sure he could.

Freddie looks at Steve, dressed up in his suit, collar open and inviting. He looks over at Danny, tie around his neck, coat already abandoned, shirt sleeves rolled up over muscular forearms. He thinks about the way Danny holds Lucy's hands and spins her around, his grip sure and strong. He thinks about Steve, falling asleep with Lynn against his chest, because it took her a week to get used to her new crib after Catherine abandoned her. 

"Screw going slow," Freddie decides, standing up and throwing off his suit jacket. Half a step over, and Freddie's got Steve in his arms, Steve's lips on his mouth. Kissing Steve is familiar and new all at once, a crazy layer over the top of their years-long relationship. Steve kisses eagerly, his tongue licking Freddie's lip, making Freddie hold his breath at how good it feels.

When Danny pulls at Freddie's arm, he breaks away from Steve, panting. Danny looks focused, almost angry, and Freddie wonders if he's screwed this up already. "Sorry. Sorry, D I–"

But Danny gets his hands on Freddie's face, pulling him down and into a kiss. Danny's kisses are slower than Steve's, but each one feels devastatingly deliberate. 

A smile tugs at Freddie's lips, and he laughs. "Wow," he says against Danny's lips, jumping when he feels Steve's hand on his back. "Is this how you get Steve to do things all the time?"

Danny snorts, scratching his fingers back through Freddie's hair. "Not exactly." Danny sucks at Freddie's lower lip and looks up at him with twinkling eyes. Freddie's mind immediately goes to a much dirtier place, and he almost loses his balance. 

"Holy shit."

Steve chuckles in Freddie's ear. "So? Dinner?"

Wrapping his fingers around Danny's tie, and Steve's arm, Freddie asks, "What dinner? There's a bed over there."

"You make a very good point," Danny says. "I wasn't sure we'd actually use it, but y'know…"

"Never hurts to be prepared," Steve adds with a grin. He grasps at Freddie a few times, and Freddie realizes Steve is nervous. It makes Freddie feel better about the butterflies in his own stomach. 

A few minutes later, Freddie has to admit that he's still nervous, but that's kind of difficult to think about while Danny's sucking his cock and Steve's sitting behind Freddie, sucking on his neck. He shudders and sighs, asking, "Why haven't we been doing this the whole time?"

"Because we're idiots," Danny says, his breath ghosting over Freddie's wet dick. 

"Some of us more than others," Steve adds. 

If Freddie wasn't so close to coming, he would've laughed. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace has something to say.

"You understand how weird this is, don't you?" Grace asks, her arms crossed as she follows Danny up the stairs.

"Yes, I realize," Danny replies, kicking the door to Freddie's former room open further so the box he's carrying will fit through it. "You know, you could help move Lynn's things. Pick up a box, maybe?"

Grace pouts. "But how am I ever supposed to have anyone over? I told everyone Freddie was your guys' manny. How am I supposed to explain all the…" She huffs again and makes a gesture that Danny interprets as "displays of affection."

Danny looks around at the still-being-assembled room, and for lack of other options, puts his box in Lynn's crib. "Here," he says, gesturing to the box spring leaning against the closet doors, "help me carry this down to the garage."

Though she rolls her eyes and huffs again, Grace grabs onto the box spring, lifting it when Danny grabs the other end. "Nobody else even has gay dads," she says as Danny backs out of the room, guiding the box spring through the door carefully. "If anyone finds out I have _three_ gay dads, I'll be completely shunned."

"Three _bisexual_ dads," Danny corrects her, wincing as Charlie and Lucy tumble up the stairs and under the box spring on their way to their room. "Watch it, you two!"

"That's so not the point," Grace counters, following as Danny backs down the staircase. "Did you miss the part where I'm going to be a total outcast?"

Danny pauses on the landing, tipping the box spring up so it will make the corner. He looks around it and meets Grace's eyes. "Look, baby. I know high school is rough, and everything feels like life and death."

"Everything _is_ —" she starts, but Danny cuts her off.

"Everything _feels_ like life and death," Danny repeats, shifting his grip on the box spring. "But high school is only four years. We're your family _forever_. You'd rather have us be normal than happy?"

Grace looks away, pouting. "No," she says softly.

"Okay, then," Danny says with a nod. "Let's go."

Danny and Grace get the box spring into the garage, where it's going to stay until Flippa comes for it next week. Before Grace can escape, Danny gently grasps first one shoulder, and then the other, turning her toward him. "Monkey, I know this is going to be tough. It's a big change for all of us, and you didn't exactly get any say on the matter. If anyone starts giving you shit—"

"Danno!" Grace gasps at the swear, but Danny figures she's in high school now. It's not like she doesn't know the word.

"Listen to me," he insists, squeezing her shoulders. "If anyone starts giving you shit, I want you to tell one of us. We'll get through this together. Can you do that?"

Sighing, Grace crosses her arms and gives Danny a sidelong look. "Will you three cool it in public?"

"We'll try," Danny says, giving her the best promise he's capable of giving.

"Fine," she says, twisting out of Danny's grip and leaving the garage. 

Danny rubs at his temples and, after a moment, follows her. He's surprised to see Grace coming out of the office, carrying a basketful of Lynn's clothes and heading for the stairs. Grace catches Danny watching her, and she gives him a barely-there smile before stomping up the stairs.

Freddie comes out of the kitchen, Lynn on his hip. "What's with the grin?" he asks Danny.

"Just happy," Danny replies, catching Freddie by the back of the neck and pulling him down into a kiss. "We're almost done moving Lynn into your old room."

"Great!" Freddie says, tickling Lynn under her chin. "You hear that? You get a real room, now that your daddies have figured a few things out."

Danny laughs, patting Freddie on the lower back before heading back into the office to find the next box that needs to be carried.

**Author's Note:**

> [My 31 day challenge on tumblr.](http://pterawaters.tumblr.com/tagged/ptera%27s-31-day-h50-challenge-2016/chrono)


End file.
